Nicole MacMillan (left) and TJ Toor of Penticton Tim Hortons with a tray of Smile Cookies which go on sale from Sept. 16-22. Cookies cost a dollar plus tax and the full dollar goes to support local charities and community organizations in the country-wide fundraiser. (Mark Brett - Western News)

Tim Hortons locations from Summerland to Osoyoos are giving their customers a reason to smile with their ongoing campaign to support the South Okanagan Breakfast Club.

From Sept. 13 to Sept. 22, proceeds from every smile cookie purchased will be collected in an endowment for the program, which provides children in the school district a nutritious breakfast. According to Westminster Avenue Tim Hortons owner/operator, Nicole MacMillan, the goal for the fundraiser is $75,000.

“We like to make a big pledge so that it’s a big splash in our community. So all of our Tim Hortons locations from Osoyoos to Summerland are selling smile cookies,” said MacMillan, who explained that the funding is put into an endowment for the program.

“We’re very excited to have an endowment fund in our community that supports breakfast programs at all of the schools in the district,” said Aaron McRann, executive director for the Community Foundation South Okanagan Similkameen. “The important thing about the endowment fund is that it’s an ongoing funding source for the breakfast programs.”

Wendy Hyer, superintendent of schools with SD67, said the breakfast club wouldn’t be possible without the support of the community and businesses like Tim Hortons.

“I just wanted to say how fortunate our community is to have the endowment fund and community support for the breakfast program. We feed a number of students every day and we wouldn’t be able to do that first of all without the support of our donors and, secondly, our volunteers who work in the schools every day,” said Hyer. “Our students are the beneficiaries of all of the efforts and we’re so grateful.”

“We’re also really thankful for Trevor Nelson and Mark Bjornson who have been working kind of quietly behind the scenes for the last five years, approaching people and raising funds to help our schools,” said Shaune Gowe, district principal of student services with SD67.

MacMillan said the smile cookie campaign will return to Tim Hortons each year, benefitting a different, deserving cause.